He spent 2725 days out of the NRL but it took just four minutes for Lote Tuqiri to feel back at home as his return to rugby league got off to the perfect start on Monday night.
LT scored with his first touch of a league ball since 2002, finishing off a Chris Lawrence bust to put the Tigers ahead early against Manly at a raucous SFS.
The script skewed off course a little as the Sea Eagles built a 20-4 lead before a brave fightback ensured Tuqiri left the field a winner, the Tigers pulling off a remarkable 26-22 escape after all seemed lost.
"A dream start - I couldn't have asked anything more," Tuqiri said of his try.
"I just got on the end of Chris Lawrence ... it was awesome."
"I couldn't believe it. We called the play to go short side off the scrum, we practised it all week and it came off."
"I don't know if I would have caught that in the 80th minute but luckily I was still fresh."
Benji Marshall enjoyed having the dreadlocked winger outside him, even if his ears were bleeding at fulltime.
"Every chance he got he was calling for it - I've got a sore left ear from him out wide let me tell you," Marshall said.
"He was jumping around telling me what to do, telling me what he wanted, telling me to make him look good."
"He's just like Wendell (Sailor). It's like Wendell's come back with dreads and not that big an arse."
"Lote's first game back ... it was an unbelievable effort."
But there was one brain snap.
Midway through the second half – with Wests well behind – Tuqiri made a long run down the left wing only to kick when confronted by the defence.
Possession was turned over to Manly on just the third tackle.
"I thought I was playing rugby when I chipped through - it was the third tackle or something," he said ruefully.
"I was thinking 'what the ....'."
All was forgiven when Tuqiri played a major role in the Tigers' 75th minute try that delivered his side an improbable victory.